Harvesting, local trade, and conservation of parrots in the Northeastern Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

In some places of the northeastern Peruvian Amazon the harvesting and local trade of parrot nestlings is still a common practice (loreada) that takes place every year between February and April, despite being banned by the national laws. Between 1996 and 1999, I monitored the use of these birds in 3890-ha of Mauritia flexuosa-palm swamps, located close to the village of Victoria (Loreto, Peru). Seven species of parrots were collected by local poachers in the study area, with Amazona amazonica (61.1% of the captures) and Ara ararauna (25.9%) the most commonly harvested. The total number of nestlings taken during the 4-year study period was 1718, ranging from 680 birds harvested in 1996 to 166 in 1998. The two methods used to collect nestlings, cutting down the nesting tree or opening a hole in the trunk to reach the nest cavity, are not sustainable because nest-trees become useless and the next generation is completely removed. The analyses of demographic data and annual harvest rates suggest that at least three species (Ara ararauna, Ara macao and Amazona amazonica) are being over-harvested and may be seriously threatened in the long term.